“Sooks”: Bill Shorten slams tennis “whingers”
Former Labor leader Bill Shorten has slammed tennis players and their entourage who are complaining about the strict quarantine measures in place for the Australian Open.
There are currently 72 players in hard quarantine.
They are unable to train outside their hotel rooms for 14 days after there were positive COVID-19 tests on tournament charter flights.
The strict measures follow after there were six positive cases.
They have been linked to three international charter flights that carried players, coaches, staff and officials to Melbourne Park for the year's first grand slam.
Aussie Bernard Tomic is among those in quarantine.
The controversial Aussie player’s girlfriend Vanessa Sierra has come under criticism after she posted clips of her and Tomic’s experience in lockdown.
As they spend 14 days togethers in hard quarantine, Ms Sierra has complained about the quality of the food provided to them and the fact she has to wash her own hair.
"This is the worst part of quarantine. I don't wash my own hair, I've never washed my own hair. It's just not something that I do. I normally have hairdressers that do it twice a week for me," Sierra told her followers.
"This is the situation that we're dealing with. I can't wait to get out of quarantine just so I can get my hair done."
Channel Nine's Karl Stefanovic showed the clip to Shorten on the Today Show to get his opinion on the matter, to which the former Labor leader sent a scathing message to the “pampered sooks”.
"At a human level, sure, it's not great to be cooped in a hotel room for that period of time. But they just need to get a grip," Shorten said.
"Covid's been shocking. People have died, people have lost their jobs, people haven't been able to go to the funerals of their loved ones and you've got these pampered sooks who are having a cry over their conditions.
"They're elite athletes, I can sympathise. But they get paid a lot of money to come to the Australian Open. Maybe they've just got to see how the rest of the world is putting up with Covid as well."
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has not let any ill words affect him however and has reportedly sent a list of quarantine demands to Australian Open officials, on behalf of the players.
A Spanish tennis website reported that Djokovic's "demands" to Craig Tiley included reduced isolation periods, better food and having players moved to "private houses with tennis courts”.
Nick Kyrgios took aim at the tennis star, on Monday night, saying: "Djokovic is a tool.”
The players will pocket a minimum $100,000 if they take part in the Australian Open main draw.